Error correcting typewriter ribbon



Aug. 4, 1964 B. GUTMAN 3,143,200

ERROR CORRECTING TYPEWRITER RIBBON Filed July 17, 1962 IMPREGHTED WHITE is BENJAMIN GUTMAN United States Patent Office 3,143,200 Patented Aug. 4, 1964 3,143,205 ERROR CGRRECTING TYPEWRH'ER RIBBON Beniarnn Gutman, 1217 46th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Juiy 17, 1962, Ser. No. 210,401 1 Claim. (Cl. 197-172) This invention relates to a typewriter ribbon and more particularly concerns a typewriter ribbon having a section for typing in one color and another section for deleting or masking characters typed in the one color.

One object of the invention is to provide a typewriter ribbon impregnated with black, red or other color ink for typing on a sheet of paper, and having another section carrying an opaque substance of the same color as the paper for deleting or masking characters typed in the colored ink when the other section is struck by typewriter keys carrying type faces of characters to be deleted.

Another object is to provide a typewriter ribbon of the character described, wherein the opaque masking substance of the error correction section of the ribbon is impregnated into or coated on the ribbon.

Still another object is to provide a typewriter ribbon as described, with a plastic film covering one side of one or all sections of the ribbon to prevent contamination and discoloration of ink in one section by the opaque masking substance in the other section and vice versa.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spool carrying a roll of typewriter ribbon embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view partially in section of a fragmentary portion of the ribbon of FIG. l.

FIGS. 3 8 are enlarged perspective views similar to FIG. 2, partially in section, of fragmentary portions of other ribbons embodying modifications of the invention.

In FIGS. l and 2 is shown a ribbon 10. The ribbon is wound on a spool or reel 12 of conventional type.

The ribbon includes a tape 15 made of porous cloth or paper. One half section 14 of the porous body is impregnated with black, red or other colored printing ink for the entire length of the ribbon. The other half section 16 of the porous body is impregnated with an opaque white, yellow, or other colored masking substance.

The masking substance in section 16 may contain a mixture of zinc oxide, talc, gum arabic, and a wax such as paraiiin. Instead of zinc oxide and talc, other mineral pigment may be used depending on the color desired in the masking substance. The gum arabic serves as a binder and the wax serves to impregnate the paper upon which the masking substance is deposited when struck by a typewriter key.

When the ribbon is struck by the type faces of the typewriter keys upon a sheet of paper in the typewriter the masking substance will be deposited upon the paper. If the type faces strike over incorrect characters previously typed by these faces in colored ink, then the colored characters will be obscured by the opaque masking substance. Ihe ribbon will be shifted in the typewriter from one section to the other to eiect error deletion. After the colored characters are obscured by the masking substance, the ribbon can be shifted to the colored ink section again and other ink characters can be typed directly over the obscured incorrect characters. The correction will be permanent in the paper and no erasing is required.

The invention described provides a means for correcting errors in typing without erasing, in a neat acceptable manner, by effectively masking errors with use of the same typewriter faces by which the errors were made. The ribbon masking section 16 and inked section 14 can be used repeatedly until exhausted.

FIG. 3 shows another form of the invention in which the ribbon 10a has a porous tape 15 with half sections 14 and 16 impregnated with colored printing ink and masking substance respectively like ribbon 10. A thin film 18 preferably made of thermoplastic material such as polyethylene is secured to the rear side R of the ribbon body over both sections Y14, 16. When the typewriter keys strike the film 18 they deposit the colored ink or the masking substance upon the paper in the typewriter. However, the type faces of the keys themselves do not pick up any colored ink or masking substance. Thus, when the ribbon is shifted up or down to shift from typing colored ink characters to typing correction characters of the masking substance and vice versa no colored ink nor masking substance is carried by the keys from one of sections 14, 16 to the other. Each stripe or section thus remains uncontaminated and free from ink or masking substance from the other section. A further advantage derived is that the ribbon lasts longer since the body of the ribbon is shielded from direct blows of the keys which tend to weaken and tear the fibers of the porous ribbon. The film may be secured by any suitable adhesive or may be secured by applying heat to the film while superimposing it on the ribbon. A melted layer will be formed at the surface of the lm juxtaposed to the ribbon. Upon removal of the applied heat and cooling of the layer 18, the iilm will adhere to the porous body of the ribbon.

FIG. 4 shows another ribbon 10b in which the porous tape 15a is impregnated entirely with colored printing ink. On the front side F of one half section 16a of the ribbon is applied a plastic film 18a and over this film is applied a coating of opaque masking substance 20. The upper half section 14a of the ribbon is uncovered. The typewriter keys strike the rear side R of the ribbon body and will deposit colored ink or masking substance on the typing paper depending on the position of the ribbon with respect to the keys in the typewriter.

Ribbon 10c in FIG. 5 has two half sections 14 and 16 of the porous Itape impregnated with differently colored printing inks. Thus the upper half may be black and the lower half may be red. To a front side F of a central section of the ribbon is secured a strip of plastic film 18h. The film 18h may be of any desired width. Over this strip of film is a coating 20' of opaque masking substance. Only part of the upper section 14 is eX- posed for typing in black ink. Only part of the lower section 16 is exposed for typing in red ink. The plastic film 18b will prevent the opaque substance from being contaminated by either the red or black ink which may be picked up by the typewriter keys as they strike the rear side R of the ribbon.

Ribbon 10d shown in FIG. 6 has a porous tape with three sections 14a, 16a and 17, respectively, impregnated with black colored ink, opaque masking substance, and red colored ink. It will be understood that the positions of the section 14a and 17 relative to the opaque masking section 16EL may be reversed or take any desired sequence. In FIG. 7 the opaque masking section 16a is at the bottom, and in FIG. 8 the opaque masking section is at the top of the ribbon. A pliable thin plastic lilm 18c is secured to the rear side R of the ribbon and covers all of the three sections. The sections may be of any desired width. The masking substance is shown as occupying the center section 16a in FIG. 6 for illustration purposes only. The lm 18c prevents contamination of each of the sections by colored ink or masking substance taken up by the keys from any of the other sections. The film also prolongs the useful life of the ribbon as mentioned above, by shielding the ribbon from direct blows of the typewriter keys. The lm further prolongs the useful life of the ribbon by preventing any ink or masking substance from being taken out of the impregnated sections by the type faces of the keys as they strike the lilm covered' rear side ofV the ribbon. The film also serves as a sound absorber while cushioning the blows of the keys on the ribbon so that typing noises are quieted. Also, while a typist is changing ribbons in a typewriter, the film prevents soiling of the typists ngers by ink or masking substance.

It will be understood that the inked sections and the opaque masking section of the ribbon as well as the protective plastic iilm may be of any desired color.

The invention in the various forms described thus provides an error correcting typewriter ribbon of improved, vastly superior structure than prior ribbons. The ribbons can be Wound on conventional reels or spools and used in conventional typewriters provided with shifting mechanisms for shifting selectively from one ribbon section to another or to two other sections transversely of the ribbon.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

An error correcting typewriter ribbon comprising a porous tape having two longitudinal sections impregnated with differently colored printing media for impressing first characters on a paper sheet in a typewriter when said sections are selectively struck by typewriter keys, said sections being adjacent to each other transversely of the tape, a thin plastic iilm strip secured to one side of the tape and at a longitudinal central portion thereof, and an opaque medium of the same color as the paper sheet covering said ilm strip for impressing other characters on said paper sheet over the iirst characters to obscure the same on said paper sheet when the other side of the tape is struck by said keys at the longitudinal central portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 385,391 Underwood et al. July 3, 1888 640,254 Anderson Jan. 2, 1900 1,700,415 Neidich Jan. 29, 1929 1,905,118 Nadell Apr. 25, 1933 1,925,235 Dixon Sept. 5, 1933 1,953,316 Stark Apr. 3, 1934 2,255,104 Dixon Sept. 9, 1941 3,010,559 Ploeger Nov. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,602 Great Britain 1913 849,868 France Aug. 28, 1939 528,589 Great Britain Nov. 1, 1940 

